Yael Tobi

Yael Tobi is a partner at Munck Wilson Mandala, practicing in the firm’s IP and complex litigation groups. Yael specializes in representing businesses and individuals in a broad range of commercial litigation disputes focusing on real estate, intellectual property, entertainment, labor and employment, securities fraud, and white-collar criminal defense. As an attorney and also a real estate broker, Yael has substantial experience handling transactions and disputes related to all facets of real estate, including purchase and sale transactions, landlord-tenant disputes, real estate development and valuation, ownership disputes, construction-related claims, and insurance.

Yael has significant experience handling disputes involving international parties. As a former professional tennis player who has spent the majority of her childhood traveling around the world, Yael gained great insight and understanding of various international cultures. Such knowledge and understanding is a critical factor in today’s global economy. Indeed, Yael’s cultural intelligence has enabled her in providing effective successful representation to numerous foreign and domestic clients, including Fortune 500 corporations, public and private companies, law firms, and high-profile individuals in complex high-stake matters. Yael has experience in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration proceedings, international service of process and international proceedings involving U.S. issues and parties.

Prior to joining MWM, Yael formed her own boutique firm, Tobi Law Group, where she served as founding member. Before forming her own firm, Yael practiced as an attorney for over a decade at prestigious international law firms, including Jones Day and Manatt Phelps & Phillips. Representing both plaintiffs and defendants, clients can benefit from her strong understanding of what the other side is thinking.

Yael earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School where she was top 10% on the Dean’s List and a contributor to the Loyola Entertainment Law Review. She received her B.A. from Pepperdine University, where she excelled academically and was a recipient of a full athletic scholarship. Yael played on Pepperdine’s women’s tennis team (ranked top in the nation), while she was also on the Dean’s List.

Representative Matters

Litigation and Business Disputes

• Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of plaintiffs after prevailing on multiple 12(b)(6) motions in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit involving intellectual property claims, fraud, conversion, and fraudulent transfers;
• Obtained a dismissal with prejudice on behalf of a corporation in the United States Central District of a $20 million-dollar lawsuit brought by a large Singapore corporation for claims of fraud, breach of contract, and conversion;
• Represented a foreign entity in connection with the retrieval of a $2.5 million-dollar personal property on a writ of possession, resulting in a favorable judgment including damages;
• Obtained a $4 million-dollar settlement on behalf of an Israeli entity in a matter involving fraud and theft of personal property (diamonds);
• Obtained a favorable settlement after prevailing on a summary-judgment motion on behalf of a defendant in a highly contentious matter involving contractual disputes and fraud;
• Obtained favorable settlements on behalf of an entity and an officer in connection with multiple corporate lawsuits involving shareholder/officer disputes, fraudulent corporate transactions, and securities fraud allegations (including SEC and FINRA investigations and complaints);
• Obtained an order denying a multi-million-dollar fraud and contract claims on a summary-judgment motion.

Corporate, Entertainment, and Real Estate

• Represented an NBA player in connection with criminal proceedings and prosecution arising from an on-court brawl;
• Negotiated a visual-effects agreement with Warner Bros in connection with the Warner Bros feature film “Green Lantern;”
• Negotiated and drafted agreements in connection with visual effects and stereoscopic conversion deals for the film “To the Arctic;”
• Represented and counseled clients (food industry, diamond industry, entertainment industry, and legal industry) in connection with real property disputes.

Education

Associations & Memberships

State Bar of California

Honors & Awards

Top 40 Under 40, Pacific Coast Business Times, September 2011

Recognized Member of the Central District Pro Bono Panel

Bar Admissions

California, 2003